About the Independent Business AllianceSM
What is a "Local" Independent Business?
- Private, Employee, Community or Cooperative ownership
- Owned in majority by area resident(s)
- Full decision-making function for the business lies with its owner(s)
- No more than 6 outlets, bases of operation lie within a single state
An Independent Business Alliance is a coalition of locally-owned independent businesses, citizens and community organizations united to support home town businesses in a community or geographic region. An IBA is a proven tool for helping maintain unique community character, ensuring continued opportunities for entrepreneurs, building local economic strength, and preventing the displacement of locally-owned businesses by chains. An IBA helps return decision-making ability over a community's future to the people who call it "home."
IBAs accomplish this through three focus areas:
- Informing citizens of the values provided by community-based businesses and their importance to the local economy, culture and social fabric. This helps residents view themselves as citizens, rather than as consumers, first by engaging them in active dialogue and decision-making about where they choose to spend their money.
- Group branding, promotion and advertising to elevate the collective profile of our community-based businesses to help level the playing field and bring to them some of the market advantages chains enjoy.
- Creating strong relationships with local government and the media to inform local decision-making and give a voice to the locally-owned independent business community and promote policy that supports community-rooted enterprise.
Interested in exploring an Independent Business Alliance for your community? We work with organizers, whether you're a business owner or a dedicated citizen, to get and keep you going. Click HERE to find out more to begin your exploration. Click HERE to see how AMIBA supports local IBAs.
The IBA model was pioneered in Boulder, Colorado by AMIBA's founders in 1998, and it has been used by communities of all sizes around the country (see About AMIBA).
You can discover if there's an IBA near you or in your travel destination HERE
IBAs raise the profile of local independent businesses in their communities. Explore the impact IBAs are making nationwide--Learn more in the AMIBA pressroom.